Bergk



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

T. VON ZWEIGBERGK.

SERIES MULTIPLE CONTROLLER.

No. 583,273. Patented May 25,1897.

Q/vibweweo gwve wtoz 35 m QiiZZ 7% W 13 M (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. VON ZWBIGBERGK.

SERIES MULTIPLE CONTROLLER.

Patented May 25,1897.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

T. VON ZWEIGBBRGK.

SERIES MULTIPLE GONTROLLER. No. 583,273. Patented May 25,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THORSTEN VON ZIVEIGBERGK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE IVALKERCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SERIES-MULTIPLE CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,273, dated May 25,1897.

Application filed January 21, 1897. Serial No. 620,160. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoRsTEN voN ZwEIo- BERGK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSeries-Multiple Controllers; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

One object of my invention is to provide novel mechanism for subdividingthe arcs incident to breaking or reducing an electric current, wherebythe destructive energy of said arcs is diminished.

Another object is to provide a novel and simple construction of thecontroller device for trolley-cars, whereby the different connections ofthe motors and resistances may be made quickly and with certainty.

Another object is to provide'a construction whereby the movement of theswitch in one direction results in the trolley being connected with themotors in series and the movement of the switch in the other directionresults in the trolley being connected with the motors in multiple arc.

The invention consists in the novel controller apparatus hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out definitely in the claims.

The apparatus, as shown, is especially adapted to control the current ofa motor-car carrying two motors and two resistances. By the movement ofthe switch in one direction the motors in series are connected with thetrolley and the circuit is made to include neither or one resistance, orboth resistances, as desired, and by the movement of the switch in theopposite direction the motors in multiple are are connected with thetrolley, and the connection includes neither or one resistance, or bothresistances, as desired.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation, partly in section, ofthe controller device, the contact-fingers on the unsec tioned side ofthe figure being removed. Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is asectional plan view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional planview on line 4 1. Figs. 5, 5, and 5 are sootional plan views on line 5 5when the switchcylinder is in three different positions. Figs. 0, 0, andG" are sectional plan views on line (5 6 when the switch-cylinder is inthree different positions. Figs. 7, 7, and 7 are sectional plan views online 7 7 when the switch-cylinder is in three different positions. Fig.8 is a diagrannnatic view of the controller apparatus, the black patchesrepresenting the contactstrips on the switch and their connections andthe white blocks representing the con tact-lingers.

Referring to the parts by letters, K represents a movable switch. It isshown in the form of a cylinder which is mounted upon a vertical axis.The particular construction of the cylinder is not material to theinvention. It is only necessary that the various contactstrips carriedby it shall be insulated from each other. In the construction shown theswitch consists of a central vertical shaft J, upon which are rigidlysecured the three fiber (insulated) rings L, N, and P.

The original contact-strips A A A or trolley-strips, as I will callthem, are arranged in one horizontal row upon the surface of the ring L.The surface of the switch in the same horizontal plane with thetrolley-strips is built out by strips A having no electricalconnections, the surface of all of said strips being parts of the samecylindrical surface.

C, C, 0 0 C, C, O, and 0 represent a row of arc-spanning strips whichare secured upon the ring L. All of them except the two middle strips OO are connected together in pairs by the wires 0. The strip C isconnected by wire 0 with the middle trolley-stri p A, while the strip 0is connected by wires a c with the two other trolley-strips A A Anotherhorizontal row of arc-spannin g strips I3, 3, B 3, B, B 3, and B aresecured to the ring IT, and theyare connected in pairs by the wires Z).

One motor-strip E is secured to the face of the ring I, and the twoother motor-strips D D are secured in a row to the same ring. The twomotor-strips E and D are connected by a wire 6 to the trolley-strip Aand consequently with arc-spanning strip C The motor-strip D isgrounded.

M M represent the two motors, which, as shown, are permanently connectedtogether, and the motor M is grounded.

The trolley contact-fingers, of which there are five, F F F F F, arefastened to the edges of an insulated ring f. This ringis secured to asleeve f, which embraces the shaft J loosely, and is fastened to a fixedbase These contact-fingers are connected with the trolley T and theresistances R R as follows: Both resistances are included in theconnection between the trolley and the fingers F F". One resistance Itis included in the connection f between the trolley and the two fin gersF F. The connection f between the trolley and finger F does not includeeither resistance.

G, G, G G G", G, G, and G represent arc-spanning fingers which arearranged in an annular row around the cylinder and are supported by aninsulated fiber ring K. This ring is secured to a sleeve 7;, whichloosely embraces the shaft J, and the ring is prevented from revolvingby an arm 7.:, which is fastened to it and to the fixed casing O. Theends of these fingers respectively lie in the planes of the two rows ofarc-spanning strips. lVhen the current is cut oil? entirely, thesefingers lie between the arc-spanning strips of these two rows; but whenany connection is made each of the said fingers contact with anarc-spanning strip in the upper row and one in the lower row, asindicated by the dotted representation of finger G in the diagrammaticView.

H and H represent two spring-actuated contact-fingers which are pivotedone above the other to a fixed insulated support. One finger II is inthe plane of the motor-strip E, while the other is in the plane of themotorstrips D D. The finger II is connected by wire 7L with both. motorsin series, while a wire it connects the finger ll with both motors inmultiple are.

\Vhen the switch is in the shut-off position, the two strips D D are onopposite sides of the finger H, as shown by Fig. it. The strip E is justbelow strip D and consequently on the same side of finger II. The threetrolley-strips A A A lie between the two fin gcrs F F, as shown in Fig.7, and the fingers (i, &c., lie between the arc-spanning strips, asshown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The switch may be turned in either direction nearly half a revolution.If turned to the left, the motors are connected in series; if to theright, in multiple are. If turned by its handle V one notch to the left,to the position indicated by the line 1 of Fig. 2, all of thearc-spannin g strips are ln'oughtinto contact with the correspondingfingers G, dye, the trolley-strip A contacts with finger F and themotor-strip D contacts with finger H. The current then fiows throughboth resistances R R to finger F strip A, all of the arc-spannin gstrips and fingers to strip D, to

finger H, and both motors in series. If moved another notch to the left,all. of the arc-spanning strips simultaneously break connection with thearc-spanning fingers and immediately make new connection with the nextpair of fingers. The trolley-strip A makes contact with the finger F,while before this last contact is made trolley-strip A makes contactwith finger F The n'iotor-strip D remains in contact with finger ll. Thecurrent momentarily :llows direct from strip A to strip D,over wirec,and thence as before; but when all of the contacts are made asdescribed the current passes through one resistance R to finger F, tostrip A, and thence through the arc-spanning strips, &c., as before.When the switch moves another notch to the left, the arc-spanning stripsbreak the old and. make new connections with the fingers G, &c. Themotor-strip A contacts with finger F, while the strip A contacts withfinger F. The current flows through both'motors in series and neither ofthe resistances, the then existing connectionsbeingindicated by Fig. 7.

In turning the switch to the right connections are made by means ofwhich the motors are connected in parallel are. 13y thus moving theswitch one notch the trolley-strip A is made to contact with the fingerF and both motor-strips D and IE will contact with the fingers ll ll,respectively. Now, as always, when any connection is made the fingers G,&c., are contacting with the arc-spanning strips 13, the, C, the. Thecurrent now fiows through both resistances, the arc-spanning strips, andfingers to strip l finger ll, to a point between the motors. It fiowsthrough one motor M to the ground and through the other motorto fingerii, to strip D, to ground. In the further movement of the switch in thisdirection the path of the current is changed only by cutting out one andthen both resistances as the strip A contacts successively with fingersF and F. The last position is indicated by Fig. 7". In moving to thesecond notch the strip A passes momentarily into contact with finger F",and in moving to the third notch the strip A is momentarily brought alsointo contact with linger F and during the period of time when saidfingers are in contact with strip A the current passes directly fromsaid strip to molor-strip E.

' Itwill be noticed that the distance between the strip A and both.strips A A is less than, the width of the lingers F, &c.,wherefore thesaid fingers temporarily make contact with both strips as the switch ismoved to carry one out of and the other into contact with one of thefingers. It will also be noticed that in moving the switch from oneposition to another in either direction all of the arcspanning stripsbreak con tact with all of the fingers G, &c., at the same instant thatthe strips A or A break contact with the respecti ve fingers.

If the switch is in either position shownby Figs. 7 or 7" and it ismoved to make a new connection to reduce the current flowing, the

circuit is simultaneously broken in seventeen placesviz., when thetrolley-strip A or breaks contact with the finger F and when all of thearc-spanning strips break contact with the several contact-fingers.Thereafter and until the strips A or A make contact with the fingers Eor E, as the case may be, the current flows through one resistance toone or the other of said fingers to trolley-strip A, thence over wire 6to motor-strip E orD', as the case may be, and thence to the motors. Thereduced circuitis now formed, and in being formed the old circuit was,as above stated, broken simultaneously in seventeen places, therebydiminishing the length of the incidental arcs to the extent wellunderstood. The switch does not stop in this position, but continues tomove until one of the strips A A (depending upon the direction ofmovement) contacts with the corresponding finger F F and until theare-spanning strips again make contact with the fingers G, &c., both ofwhich connections are made before the strip A finally breaks contactwith the finger I!" or F The circuit is not changed by this additionalmovement except that the arc-spanning system of strips and fingers isconnected into it, and this change is made without any break in thecircuit.

hen the current is entirely cut off, all of the motor-strips andare-spanning strips and trolley-strips simultaneously break contact withthe fingers with which they are in contact, making eighteen or nineteenbreaks, as the case may be.

Associated with the switch is an indicatorwheel U, secured to it andhaving six notches (indicated by 1 2 3 4 5 0) in addition to the notcha, Fig. 3. A spring-actuated arm n, pivoted to a fixed support, isprovided with a friction-roller 1L2, which is held in contact with theperiphery of said indicator-wheel by the spring it The indicator-wheelmoves with the switch and can only stop when the roller 10 is in one orthe other of said notehes that is to say, it may stop in one of theseven positions before explained. The notches 3 and 6 are separated byalong tooth uflwhich engages with the roller 1L2 and prevents furthermovement of the switch in either direction after the said engagementtakes place. The switch may therefore be moved only three notches fromthe shut-off point in either direction. If the motors are connected inseries or multiple are and it is desired to re- Verse the connection inthis particular, it is necessary to first entirely shut off the current.

The lines marked 1, 2, 3, t, 5, and G in Fig. 2 indicate the positionsof the handle V when the roller n is engaging with the correspondinglynumbered notches in the indieatorwheel.

The lines marked 1, 2, 3, 4t, 5, and (3 in Fig. 4 represent the parts ofthe motor-strips which are in engagement with the finger II when theroller 10 is engaging with the correspondinglymarked notches in theindicator-wheel.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a series-multiplecontroller, in combination, two motors, contact-fingers with which themotors are respectively connected in series and in multiple are, aswitch movable in both directions from the shut-off position, motorcontact-strips thereon, on opposite sides of said contact-fingers whenthe switch is in said shut-o ff position, and adapted to contact withsaid contact-fingers, trolleystrips thereon, connections between themotor-strips and trolley-strips, and fixed contact-fingers which connectthe trolley-strips with the source of current, whereby the movement ofthe switch in one direction causes the current to pass through themotors in series, and the movement of the switch in the oppositedirection causes the current to pass through the motors in multiple arc,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a controller device, in combination, two motors, twocontact-fingers, one of which is connected with the two motors inseries, and one with said two motors in multiple are, a switch movablein both directions from the shut-off position, and means for connectingone finger with the trolley when the switch is moved in one direction,and for connecting said finger with the ground and the other fingerwith. the trolley when the switch is moved in the opposite direction,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a controller device, in combination, two contact-fingers II, II, aswitch relatively movable in both directions, two motor-strips D, D inline upon said switch and on opposite sides of the finger II, the stripD being connected with the ground, a motor-strip E upon said switch onone side of finger II, means for connecting and disconnecting bothstrips E and D with the trolley, and two motors which are connected withfinger H in series, and with finger II in multiple are, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

at. In a controller device, in combination, a switch movable in bothdirections from its shut-off position, two motor contact-fingers, twomotors respectively connected with said fingers in series and inmultiple are, two strips D D on the switch in line with and on oppositesides of one of the said fingers, the strip D being grounded, a strip Ein line with the other motor-finger, the two rows of arcspanning strips,all of the strips in one row being connected in pairs, and all of thestrips in the other row except two being similarly connected, permanentelectrical connections between one of the said two arc-spanning stripswith the motor-strips E and'D, means for connecting the other of saidarc-spanning strips with the current-supply, and a plurality ofarc-spanning fingers for severally connecting the strips in onearc-spanning row with strips in the other row, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

5. In a controller, in combination, a switch movable in both directionsfrom the shut-off position, three trolley-strips thereon, fixedcontact-fingers for contacting with said strips, said fingers beingconnected with the source of current by connections which includedifferent amounts of resistance, a row of arcspanning strips which areconnected together in pairs, another row of are-spanning strips, all buttwo of which are connected together in pairs, permanent electricalconnections between one of the said two arc-spanning strips referred toand both of the end trolleystrips, permanent electrical connectionsbetween the other of said arc-spanning strips, the middle trolley-stripand two of the m0- tor-strips, motor-strips, their contact-fingers,electrical connections between the motor contact-fingers and the motors,and arc-spanning contact-fingers, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

(3. A controller consisting of a switch having thereon a row oftrolley-strips comprising the strips A, A, A and the two rows ofarc-spanning strips, the strips of each row (except two in one row)being connected in pairs as described, and two rows of motorstrips, onerow containing one strip E and the other row two strips D, D on oppositerows, the two motor-fingers, and two motors connected in series with theground, and permanent electrical connections between one motor-lingerand both motors in series, and between the other motor-fingers and bothmotors in multiple are, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I al'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'lllOllUlllN VON MYEHHRERGK.

Vitnesses:

E. L. 'inUns'roN, E. B. GILcnms'r.

